Ravi Kumar from Hyderabad, India – The Pearl City – contributed to the March Newsletter of Global Goodwill Ambassadors:

I thank Richard DiPilla – The GGA Founder and the team for connecting me with the GGA network and I appreciate this commendable initiative which craves for Global peace and understanding.

Located in the heart of peninsular India, our city is also famous for Bangles of Hyderabad.

This city is unique cos of a multi-track Ring Road looking like F1, complemented by an International Airport.

India has a dash of cultural spectrum and the ethnicity and my city reflects same, perfectly.

Leading in the areas of IT, ITES, Pharma, AeroSpace and Biotechnology, people are very friendly, understand and speak English too.

During Holi we experienced a dash of colors splashing across people with no warning. I do not wish you to keep away, but invite the global citizens for that splash spoiling the clothes they wear- Holi, The festival of colors…

The Beginning of Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) – Richard DiPilla

From its humble beginnings, four years ago, I sought to highlight the Goodwill work of a single LinkedIn Connection. The birth and growth of the Global Goodwill Ambassadors were born. Almost immediately, other connections were telling me their stories and the humanitarian work they did for the love of goodwill for all. We witnessed a chain of narrative voices.

I could hardly comprehend, that there was and still is a thirst for learning about global humanitarian efforts. A residual affect was an understanding that the mainstream news defined, countries, nations, regions, races, genders, and castes, of geo-political reporting. However, there was much more time with the coverage of a terrorist attacks, but no coverage of all the heroes in these countries, who were saving lives and doing selfless work to make the world a better places.

Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) Mission – Richard DiPilla

Four years later the Global Goodwill Ambassadors has nearly 2000 designees and a structured board in many countries. Our simple mission has remained as pure. And that was on the first day! We recognize individuals who are engaged in humanitarian work without bias or commercialization.

The later is what keeps us pure as possible. No, we have no website. Websites can put many people in difficult regions at security risk.

We have a LINKEDIN company page and group page that can be found at: Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA). We also have a presence on many other social media; but our catalyst is the LinkedIn profile, the volunteer and humanitarian work individuals have listed.

By using the company page you can list your designation with our official logo. We have nomination guidelines with a committee, and a GGA Executive Board.

Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) – Executive Board – Richard DiPilla

Ted Batchelor serves as our General Council and has a duel role as Chairman of Canada.

Hans-Jürgen John is our Director of Digital Communications and the Publisher of our GGA Newsletter.

Anthony James is our World Communications Director.

Dr. Ameena Ali is our Director of Diversity.

Our Executive Advisors are often names you will recognize as nominators of Ambassadors. We have Country Chairpersons and Directors, Nomination and Engagement Directors, and GGA Brand Ambassadors.

Each person does his/her part to grow our ambassador numbers. With each new designation we are extending the reach of goodwill.

In a recent article that I would like to tell my grandchildren, that rather than sit idly by, I did something to bring a sense of peace and harmony to the world. The truth is, every Global Goodwill Ambassador, can say the same thing.

The sum total of expense and profit in currency for this initiative is ZERO. Our only currency is Goodwill. I challenge all people who read this newsletter to do good deeds and give back to the world. We all share the same world. Don’t just take, give back to make it a better place. As a GGA you will join together with people who are doing the same.

Creative Writing Workshop by Faraaz Kazi

15 May 2017
The Hindi version of ‘More Than Just Friends’ is out now on the @juggernaut.in app.
And the icing on the cake- it’s available for free for a limited time!
दोस्त से कहीं बढ़कर –http://bit.ly/MTJFHindi

17 April 2017
Faraaz Kazi is going to hold a Creative Writing Workshop on behalf of Half Baked Beans in Mumbai on 29th of April, 2017. Mark your calendars, Mumbaikars!

21 February 2017
Voting done. Now back to work. Hope every responsible Mumbaikar will vote today.

Memories from 20 February 2014 / Been three years ago … time flies.
The Mumbai grand launch of The Other Side being talked about in the December issue of GR8 magazine!
Pic courtesy: Abhinav Chhabra

15 February 2017
What being a bestselling writer feels like.

Memories from 11 February 2013: 4 years since the NDYFA national award.
Was waiting for the news to be confirmed and hence, didn’t announce it earlier.
Out of over 1600 Indian books submitted in the published category, ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ made it to the top 10 (short-list) and eventually went on to win the ‘National Debut Youth Fiction Award (NDYFA)’- my second national award in 2013! Here’s a peek at the nomination certificate collected by the publisher!

6 February 2017

If you fell down once, why did you pick yourself up?
Here’s why I picked myself up:

I come from a family of people with conventional careers. I am the only child of my parents and while growing up, always had the burden of expectations to perform and excel in every field. Fortunately, I developed an early inclination towards reading and that got me pretty far in life. Thanks to reading, I excelled in my academics and developed a sharp mind.

However, reading a lot in my childhood days also made me want to write. I wrote my first book at the age of seven and never looked back since then. I kept writing and kept improving. Reading anything that I could lay my hands on, made sure of that. My family didn’t pay much attention to it as long as I attended my classes and topped every year. I still don’t recollect how the thought came but one day when I had finished writing my first non fiction book which dealt with life from a teenager’s point of view, I had this idea to get it published. It was a different kind of work and not the kind that I had seen a lot. So I went ahead and told my family of my intentions, requesting for guidance because I had no clue how to go about doing it. I was only 13 and internet wasn’t common back then.

My parents told me that this is not the age to do what I am doing and my focus should only be on my board exams that were two years from then. I didn’t really have many friends who could help me with this decision, so I decided to take it up on myself. One evening while returning from a school field trip, I chanced upon a printing press in the neighbouring area. I walked inside confidently and approached the first guy my eyes could see- a dark burly fellow wearing a striped tee.

“What do you want, kid?” he asked me in a gruff tone.

“I have written a book. I want to get it published. Do you guys do it here?” I asked, making sure my smile hid my anxiety… read more

5 February 2017

Faraaz Kazi: The cover reveal of the ‘Have a safe journey’ anthology

by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Anand Mahindra and Tuhin A. Sinha. The stories have been co-judged by me. Do grab a copy once the book is out!

Tuhin A. Sinha: A memorable moment in the roadsafety movement in India when the first look of Have A Save Journey, the world’s first collection of short stories on Road Safety was unveiled by Shri Nitin Gadkari and Shri Anand Mahindra on 3Feb. Literature plays a big part in influencing young minds and we hope that this initiative would start a new trend. The project was conceived and executed by NHP Centre. It was facilitated and creatively supervised by yours truly. It was sponsored by Mahindra Trucks & Buses Ltd while Amaryllis is publishing the book.

5 February 2017
One from Delhi.

4 February 2017
The first look of the ‘Have a safe journey’ anthology.

2016 was the most memorable year of my life. Learned a lot and took some big steps that shaped me better and made me stronger.
Hoping for an even better 2017, not just for me but for everyone.
Happy New Year!

26 December 2016
When in doubt, pull out the whites!

26 December 2016
Tired of captions.

22 December 2016
Amongst the 30 most downloaded books of 2016 on Juggernaut!
More Than Just

18 December 2016
Featured in the ‘Best of 2016’ list on Juggernaut Books.
Get your copy of ‘More Than Just Friends’ at http://bit.ly/MTJFbyFK

12 December 2016

Guess what’s releasing in a couple of days?
Be prepared to witness the 14 shades of LOVE.
Presenting the cover of the next book. Releasing soon!
#14ShadesofLove

A lonely Preeti moves to Mumbai post her brother’s death. Succumbing to the burden of depression, she decides to end it all. Just then her doorbell rings. Answering it will change her life forever.
This tale is inspired by the true story of an artist who found that love was the only colour missing from the palette of her life.

About the Author

“My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water”- Mark Twain.

The winner of the 2013 National Debut Youth Fiction Award and also the recipient of the YCOF National Excellence award in Creative Writing apart from being the first Indian author to win the coveted ‘Best Debut (Romance)’ title at the international Goodreads choice awards, Faraaz Kazi has been tagged as the ‘Nicholas Sparks of India’ by many and is rated amongst the top male romance writers in the country.

A certified soft-skills trainer and a three-time post grad, Kazi is the Founder and CEO of DigiImprint Solutions, India’s first exclusive promotional agency for authors and artists that recently forayed into handling corporate brands. He also consults for a few public relations firms and publishing houses. Felicitated by numerous institutes, bodies and organizations alike, Kazi is a well-known name in the social media and literary fraternity. He is fondly referred to as ‘The Young Marketer’ and operates a revolutionary blog with the same name and writes for major media houses.

Kazi is a fellow member of the esteemed ‘Film Writers Association of India.’ Truly Madly Deeply, his debut mainstream romance novel is the only Indian book to have seven category nominations in the Goodreads annual readers’ choice awards and is also the only Indian book in the ‘Top 100 YA Global Fiction’ list. Kazi is a voracious reader and counts singing as his second love.

– My forth book is published
– I am part of the ‘Have a safe journey’ initiative by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
– Posts and excerpts.
– Win cash prizes up to Rs. 1 lakh.

14.08.2016

“Have a safe journey” initiative by the Ministry

Glad to be a part of the ‘Have a safe journey’ initiative by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. Amongst the pre jury panel that will shortlist the stories written for this wonderful collection to be published by Amaryllis.

Let’s spread awareness about road safety through the power of literature. Submissions open tomorrow!

Faraaz Kazi: Often called the ‘Nicholas Sparks of India’, Faraaz Kazi is a two-time national award winner apart from being the only Indian to win the Goodreads Choice award for his debut romance TRULY MADLY DEEPLY. He lives in Mumbai and loves to sing when not writing

After her brother’s death, Preeti moves to Mumbai. She gives in to sorrow, deciding to end it all. But her doorbell interrupts. Answering it will change her life forever! This tale is inspired by the true story of an artist who found that love was the only colour missing from the palette of her life.

03.06.2016

What do you do of the gifts given by your ex- throw them away or keep them forever?
Here’s my piece in Bonobology on erasing the past and driving the strength in yourself to do the same.

In my last relationship, there were many a gifts that went from me to her over a span of two years; some of them, pocket friendly, but ripe with emotions – mushy cards, red roses and accessories – while the rest were designer clothes (including one whose picture she liked and which took me around three cities before I found it), gadgets, a Fendi bag, a Burberry clutch, an Omega watch, a gold coin embossed with our images with promises of eternal love and yes…a diamond ring amongst other things which also included a delicately created log book of our history- right from the time she said ‘hi’ to the present, something that took me a week to put together and sketch out.

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I am in.SBJ Legends:
12 young achievers across streams adorn this years SBJ calendar. The talent mines which have taken their respective industries by storm and have made a strong mark at a young age.
The idea is capture both- the professional and person life of each individual and focus on their vision ans strengths.

Pravin Talan, one of the best known photographers in the country collaborated with fashion icon Vandy Mehra to create an innovative and inspirational calendar ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ featuring twelve highly celebrated names from various fields. The stunning images and the novel concept has made it a collector’s item.These young achievers meaningfully dubbed as “Legends of Tomorrow” have defined Indians achieving global success across different platforms. A careful selection process lasting many weeks has given twelve faces to the calendar Legends of Tomorrow’, many of them having been photographed for the first time ever for a calendar like this.

The names are from as diverse fields as Sports, Culture, Business, Diplomacy, Spirituality, Music, and Entertainment to Publishing, sharing their mantras of success with the world in the calendar and two minute exclusive video clips for the social media.

That pondering ‘stage’.

Papa CJ and I take a walk indulging in playful banter at the SBJ calendar launch event.

Sometimes it is time to look back. For me it is normal life but some say it is an author career.

Faraaz Kazi, the Writer Who Put Indian Romance Fiction on World Map, Talks about His New Book, Love and More

“With Truly, Madly, Deeply, esteemed writer Faaraz Kazi, made a stunning début and how! Kazi went on to win the 2013 National Début Youth Fiction Award and received the YCOF National Excellence award in Creative Writing. He is also first Indian author to have won coveted ‘Best Début (Romance)’ title at the international Goodreads choice awards.

His book Truly, Madly, Deeply, won him the tag of being called the ‘Nicholas Sparks of India.’ So far, it is the only Indian book to have been nominated in 7 categories at the Goodreads choice awards. It is also the only Indian book to feature in the ‘Top 100 YA Global Fiction’ list.

Kazi is a fellow member of the prominent ‘Film Writers Association of India.’ He is a three-time post graduate and also a certified soft-skills trainer. In addition, Kazi is the founder and CEO of DigiImprint Solutions, India’s first exclusive promotional agency for authors and artists. He is a well-known personality in literary fraternity and on social media.”

And now LOVE is officially in the air!
Felt proud to finally hold the book in my hand. 🙂

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Content:

From a man who lives in his past overhearing the whispers of the present to a woman who rescues dying souls through her blessed aura. From a little boy who must realize the truth of his life so that he can face the fears of the future to a pair of lovers who are reborn with little clue of what fate has in store for them. From a granddaughter who recollects the warm fuzzy days of her childhood to an old lady who still reminisces about the time she first fell in love. From a girl who must return to her roots to discover the reality of her true love to a stalker who tries to hide his worst secret, even from himself.

This promising anthology featuring modern Indian writing aims to capture love in all its raw forms and diverse states. For contrary to popular belief, love is just one word with many volatile emotions.

Join best-selling author, Faraaz Kazi in this journey through that one word that defines us all and one that we cannot define, as he unravels the mystery of love through a first of its kind work that features fourteen vivid stories that span across genres connected by that thing called LOVE.

Reviews like these bring a smile to my face. Thank you again readers, for making it the no. 1 Indian horror bestseller.

“There were few stories within that scared the hell out of me so much that I actually stopped reading the book in between for sometime. And yes (guilty!!) I read the book only during the day couldn’t manage to read it at night and neither when I was travelling. And they have created a benchmark of their own in terms of horror as a genre”- Blogger Namrata M.

‘The Other Side’ I am told had an amazingly successful day at Hans Raj College, Delhi where it was the official book partner of their annual college event, Vanjya Utsav.
The book was part of the corporate bidding, sales-pitch process, kind of an inter-collegiate contest between different teams from various colleges in a never before tried marketing initiative. It seems to have received a wonderful response by students across the NCR region attending the fest. — feeling happy.

Back to ruling the charts! The book is sharing space with legends like Woody Allen, Oscar Wilde and EA Poe!
No. 1 horror best-seller on Amazon.